| DOI: 10.29090/psa.2021.04.20.174 | Pharm Sci Asia 2021; 48(4), 300-319 |
Phytochemical content and biological activity of
the genus Cycas, Family Cycadaceae: A reviewNaglaa Afifi1,
Abeer Moawad1,
Marwa Hassan1,
Dalia El Amir1,
Ahlam Elwekeel1,
Elham Amin1,2*
1 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty
of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University,
Beni-Suef, Egypt
2 Department of Medicinal Chemistry and
Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy,
Qassim University, Buraidah, Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
Genus Cycas, Cycadaceae family, contains about 117 species. Nevertheless, few species have been phytochemically and pharmacologically studied. To date Eighty-eight secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, terpenoids, lignans, aromatic acids and sterols were isolated and identified from nineteen Cycas species. Among the isolated compounds flavonoids are the most prevalent metabolites. The extracts as well as pure compounds isolated from Cycas species were reported to exhibit a wide range of biological activities including; antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, anthelmintic, analgesic, anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory and thrombolytic activities. The present review highlights the reported phytochemical content as well as the pharmacological potential of Cycas species. Interestingly, it indicates that; almost all the previous investigation ofthe biological activity of pure compounds isolated from this genus was directed towards its flavonoid content. Accordingly, more biological studies are needed to figure out the possible role of other isolated compounds in the observed biological activities and/or the reported traditional uses of different Cycas species. Moreover, further studies are required to investigate other unexplored species.
Keyword:
Cycas, Cycadaceae, Review,
Phytochemical, Biological
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